Banana Spinach Almond Butter Muffins
We’re sharing our Banana Spinach Almond Butter Muffins recipe!
Pairing vegetables with a tasty dip is a common practice to get kids to eat more vegetables. Unfortunately, the quality of the dip can compromise the nutrient density of the snack if not chosen carefully. How about nut and seed butters as dips? It sounds so obvious once you think about it, but nut butter-based dips are not commonly prepared or served. Nut and seed butters have a clear advantage over most dips such as mayonnaise-based ones, due to their higher content of protein, vitamins, minerals and healthy fats. In addition, they are just so simple to pair with raw vegetables!
You have a variety of options using our Once Again Nut Butters. Our sunflower seed butter is a fantastic match for carrot sticks; peanut butter goes so well with celery and snap peas; almond butter complements red and green peppers, while cashew butter offers a nutty twist to cauliflower and cherry tomatoes. Tahini is in its very own category— you can dip anything in tahini and the results are mouth-watering, creating very fulfilling snacks and /or appetizers.
We aren’t alone in thinking that raw vegetables and Once Again nut and seed butters are heavenly matches. A study published in 2003 in the Journal of Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prevention, showed that kids who dip their vegetables in peanut butter consumed more vegetables and increased the variety of vegetables eaten. This was even observed in children who are part of the “vegetable resistance,” picky eaters when it comes to fruits and vegetables. Could this be a turning point for your picky eater?
How about we take this recipe up a level higher? Let’s not only offer Once Again Nut Butters as dips for raw vegetables, but let’s bring vegetables into some family favorite snacks and treats! This recipe for Banana Spinach Almond Butter Muffins adds fresh spinach to a fan-favorite banana mini-muffin. The additional ingredients were chosen carefully as well not to compromise the nutrient density, so they can be served as breakfast foods or snacks. We used only honey as a sweetener and allowed the natural sugars of the banana and almond butter to gleam through. The choice of oat flour and flax meal increases the fiber content. If you’d like to keep these muffins vegan, use flax eggs. Let us know if you try the vegan option— We want to know how yours turns out!
These Banana Spinach Almond Butter Muffins freeze very well. We suggest freezing them in plastic sealed bags, pre-portioned with 3-4 in each bag for easy grab-and-go lunch box items just right for the kids.
Want another muffin recipe? Try our High Fiber Mini-Muffins recipe!
Category
Servings
18 large muffins
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Author:
Carolina Jantac, MS, RD, LD
A phenomenal way to add a little extra greens to your intake! Kids will love these and adults too. Made with our delicious Almond Butter these taste amazing while delivering a variety of nutrients. Made with oat flour, they're gluten free.
Ingredients
- 2 cups of packed fresh spinach leaves
- 3 mashed bananas
- ½ cup of milk of your choice
- 2 eggs
-
1/3 cup of Once Again Crunchy Almond Butter
- ½ cup of honey
- 2 cups of oat flour
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
- ¼ cup of flax meal
- 2 teaspoons of baking powder
- ½ teaspoon of baking soda
- ½ teaspoon of salt
Directions
- Start by adding the spinach, banana and milk to your blender. Pulse until you achieve a thick smoothie-like consistency.
- Transfer contents to large bowl and add in two beaten eggs, honey and Once Again Almond Butter. You may use a hand mixer or spoon to achieve this.
- In a separate bowl, combine oat flour, baking soda, baking powder, flax meal, cinnamon and salt.
- Slowly combine the wet and dry mixtures until well blended. Pour into mini-muffin or regular-sized muffin pans. Bake for about 20 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit in a pre-heated oven.
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